• Getting Ready for School

    Routines

    All children benefit from regular routines at home. Such as:

    · Having regular sleep hours. Make sure your child gets enough sleep (8-10 hours each night).

    · Having regular meals and meal times, especially breakfast. Pay attention to nutrition.

    · Having routine ways to do daily activities.

    • Meal time routines – setting table, sitting down, eating, cleaning up.
    • Bed time routine – getting ready for bed in a usual fashion every night, doing homework, preparing clothes and materials for the next day, bathing, saying goodnight.
    • Getting ready for daycare or school routine – breakfast, bathing, getting dressed, packing backpack, preparing lunch or snacks.
    • Cleaning up routine – cleaning up after meals, playtime, bathing.
    • Hygiene – brushing teeth or bathing at a regular time, taking care of clothes by hanging or folding, placing dirty ones in a specific place.

     

    Communication and Behavior

    · Have clear expectations of responsibilities and behavior. For example, “In the library you use a quiet voice”.

    · Use natural consequences, “If you hit, people do not want to play with you”.

    · Replace inappropriate behaviors with words

    · Such as grabbing a toy, “Oh, you want the toy, say ‘my turn please’, then give them the toy.

    · Or screaming and stomping when a toy doesn’t work, “Do you need help? Say

    help please’”.

    · Model good communication:

    • Slow, calm speech
    • Quiet voice instead of yelling
    • Take turns
    • Wait for an answer

    · Listen until your child is finished talking. Do not rush or interrupt them.

     

    *Adapted from Austin Independent School District’s School and Communication booklet titled: Preparing your child to communicate in school. This booklet was created by Penny McClard, MS, CCC-SLP, Kate Poueymirou, MA, CCC-SLP and Shannon Williams, MA, CCC-SLP.